The composition of Serebryakova’s painting “In the Kitchen, Portrait of Katya”


Russian artist of the early XX century, master of graphics and painting ZE Serebryakova, became one of the first women who entered the history of our national painting. She became famous for her painting “Behind the Toilet.” Self-portrait, which was presented in 1909 at the exhibition of the Union of Russian Artists and is now in the State Tretyakov Gallery.

A significant place in the artist’s work is the theme of childhood, which is beloved for Zinaida Evgenyevna. The artist was attracted by children’s spontaneity, naturalness and openness. Widespread fame acquired paintings of the artist: “At breakfast,” “Katya in the blue at the Christmas tree,” “The girls at the piano,” “Boys in sailor vests,” and many others. On them the “master of the children’s portrait”, as Serebryakov called critics, depicted with her special love and warmth her four children: two sons – Sasha and Zhenya, two

daughters – Tanya and Katya.

Warmly loved children from the earliest childhood became heroes of paintings of the artist. Before us – one of these works: the picture “In the kitchen, Portrait of Katya” depicts the youngest daughter of Zinaida Evgenyevna.

Katya sits at a wooden brown table. It has a snow-white blouse and a bright blue sarafan. The girl has a serious thoughtful face, her eyes are lowered, there is no shadow of a smile on her scarlet lips. A light blush covers the cheeks of a snow-white child’s face. Light curls of long brown hair slyly fall on his shoulders. What is the girl thinking about? Perhaps, how to cook a delicious dish, helping my mother, and maybe as an adult grow up and will work in the kitchen for their children.

A convenient view of the picture gives us the opportunity to carefully consider everything that is on the table in front of the girl. Closest to Katya is a full basket of eggs. One of them the girl holds in her hand, as if offering it to us. Katya’s second hand is lowered into the basket. To the left of the girl is a large earthen

jug. Most likely, there is milk, which children like to drink in the morning. For the basket closest to the viewer, is a “bouquet” of the beet root crops picturesquely laid to one side, and a long maroon and green foliage – in another. In the foreground, right on the chopping wooden board, there are five small fish that may have been caught by Katya’s older brothers. On the bends of a snow-white tablecloth on the left are two orange carrots with a green top. All items of the still life were painted with great care.

The picture is made in contrasting colors. On a blue background, the image of the girl seems more expressive, bright, clean and cheerful. Her sarafan of blue harmonizes with the general background of the picture.

The Painting is a skilful combination of several genres: a still-life and a portrait. Vegetables bright saturated tones, snow-white tablecloth, the general background of the canvas and the main character form a special color of the picture, create a cheerful, cheerful and cheerful mood.

ZE Serebryakova created a whole world of amazing children’s images, each of which is unique and unique. However, everyone has a common: unlimited love for children, admiration for the sincerity of their feelings and actions. In the painting “In the Kitchen, Portrait of Katya” as in others, created on the theme of childhood, poetry is transmitted everyday, everyday, but so close and dear to the heart.


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The composition of Serebryakova’s painting “In the Kitchen, Portrait of Katya”